New Innovative Culinary Arts Programme In ... - César Ritz Colleges

November 2006 n°39
New Innovative Culinary Arts Programme
On October 1, 2006 «César Ritz» Colleges
Switzerland launched the Culinary Arts Academy,
Switzerland. This innovative educational
undertaking is based on 25 years of Food &
Beverage teaching experience at «César Ritz»
Colleges and will further enhance the range of
learning opportunities its students already enjoy.
Located at Institut Hôtelier «César Ritz»,
Le Bouveret, the Academy will initially offer two
programmes, i.e. the Advanced Certifi cate in
Culinary Arts and the Swiss Higher Diploma in
Culinary Studies.
The Culinary Arts Academy seeks to develop
graduates who aspire to be different – not only to
appreciate excellence but to provide it. The culinary
The Chef
The Culinary Arts Academy
in action
Gastronomy calls for high levels of innovation,
creativity and for certain traditions to be observed
if it is to be practised well. Some culinary trends
disappear shortly after emerging and some enjoy
success for several decades. Others even outlive
their creators!
Some of the most popular cuisines today are Asian,
Mexican, Eastern European, Mediterranean, and the
classics – Italian and French. While all these styles
come from very different cultural backgrounds
In This Issue
News from «César Ritz» Colleges 2
News from Down Under 6
«César Ritz» Family News - Weddings 8
world offers a myriad of possibilities including
positions as chefs, managers, restaurateurs and
specialists within the gastronomic industry.
The programmes develop a solid foundation in the
appreciation of culinary excellence with a balance
of hands-on classes and theory, allowing future
employment throughout the world. Students
progress through traditional culinary best practice
to the study of international and ethnic cuisines.
At the Academy, students are prepared for the
future by experiencing different cultures and
excellent culinary practice. The courses taught
include regional cuisines, baking and pastry art,
beverage management as well as principles of
marketing and intercultural studies.
Small classes require students to work individually
and in teams, under the guidance of “world class”
chefs who highlight the values of our Leadership
Programme. Each student has a personal advisor to
assist and guide them during their studies.
Reto Leder, Director of Marketing & Communication
«César Ritz» Colleges Switzerland
and require an endless list of ingredients, they have
one thing in common: their success is due to the
professional people who have mastered the art to
perfection. These people are successful because
they possess key aptitudes such as character,
leadership and team spirit. They are also curious
and value education.
Bruno Neveu
Programme Director of the Culinary Arts Academy
at Institut Hôtelier «César Ritz» in Switzerland
«César Ritz» Family News - Babies 10
From you to us - from us to you 12
Alumni Reunions Around the World 19

News from «César Ritz» Colleges
Partners in Excellence
Directors of hotel and tourism schools from all over North and
South America took part in the 2nd seminar on “Total Quality
Management in Professional Education”, held at University
La Sabana in the Colombian capital, Bogota, from February 20
to 24, 2006. The event was sponsored by the Nestlé Foundation
“Pro Gastronomia” and the Limmat Foundation, Zurich.
The 50 participants at the seminar were all directors of hotel and
tourism schools from 16 countries, including Canada, the USA,
Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Colombia and Peru. The schools
were of different educational levels.
The photo shows: Mr Otmar Sorgenfrei, Dr Oskar Sykora
and Mr Reto Leder with two of the seminar participants
A Strengthened Partnership with MMU
University Centre «César Ritz» (UCCR) is cementing its relationship
with Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) by converting its
Postgraduate Diploma in International Hospitality Management
(PgDip-IHM) into a fully validated programme of the British
university. It’s expected that a newly validated course will be offered
at UCCR from the beginning of next year.
UCCR has offered the Postgraduate Diploma in International
Hospitality Management, which is already formally recognized
by MMU, for the past six years.
By converting the course into a fully validated MMU programme,
there will be a heightened level of academic cooperation that
Invited guest speakers were Dr Oskar Sykora, former Director of
Ecole Hôtelière de Genève and Reto Leder, Director of Marketing
and Communication of «César Ritz» Colleges Switzerland.
The seminar consisted of theoretical sessions as well as workshops
in which those taking part were asked to develop concepts on
how to improve the teaching of essential skills at their respective
schools. The event also raised the opportunity to set up regional
networks with the aim of facilitating information exchange and
knowledge sharing between schools of a similar nature.
The involvement of «César Ritz» Colleges was no accident! Our
partnership and friendship with the Nestlé Foundation has a
long history and Mr Otmar Sorgenfrei, Executive Director of the
Foundation from 1998 to 2006, has been a regular guest at IHCR
graduation ceremonies.
University La Sabana is one Colombia’s leading universities and
its Business School, INALDE, enjoys an excellent reputation even
beyond the country’s borders.
In 2004, «César Ritz» Colleges Switzerland signed an agreement
of academic cooperation with La Sabana allowing students to
complete a dual bachelor degree in Colombia and Switzerland.
Similar agreements have recently been signed with the University
of Piura in Peru and the University Del Istmo in Guatemala.
Reto Leder
Director of Marketing & Communication
«César Ritz» Colleges Switzerland
will facilitate knowledge-sharing and strengthen research
partnerships.
The validation panel comprises members from both institutions,
including the MMU’s Pro-Vice Chancellor and Dean of Faculty,
Professor Murray, the President of «César Ritz» Colleges,
Mr Kisseleff and the UCCR School Director, Mr Gutzwiller. MMU
is the United Kingdom’s fourth most popular university with 33,000
students enrolled in more than 700 courses. It is also ranked fourth
among new universities in terms of attracting research funds from
the Higher Education Funding Council for England.
Dr Matthew Yap, Director, Postgraduate Programme, UCCR

«César Ritz» & WSU – More than Just Good Friends!
It was more than just two signatures on a piece of paper – it
was the symbol of a 22 year-old relationship and a promise of
shared learning to come. On 19 September 2006, Martin Kisseleff,
the President of «César Ritz» Colleges and Dr Eric Spangenberg,
the Dean of Washington State University (WSU) College of
Business, cemented the relationship started so many years ago.
Dr Lance LeLoup, Associate Vice Provost of International Programs
and Dr David Whitbee, Associate Dean of the College of Business
accompanied Dr Spangenberg.
In 2006, a semester-abroad programme replaced the WSU Bachelor
of Arts degree previously offered at the Brig campus. Twenty-seven
students enrolled in the new degree programme for WSU students
in the College of Business with a WSU faculty member teaching
two of the courses with UCCR students attending the WSU classes
and exchange students taking various courses from UCCR offerings.
The UCCR credits for courses taken by the exchange students go
directly into their WSU transcripts. Assuming the leadership is
Dr David Sprott, a former exchange faculty in Brig for the old BA
programme.
More good news is that a new programme will start for the 2007
Fall Term. UCCR students who have completed 90 ECTS with good
Surpassing Career Dreams
In 1994, Matthew Yap began the Diploma programme at the
Institut Hôtelier «César Ritz» with the dream of becoming a hotel
manager at one of Singapore’s top luxury hotels.
In June 2006, Matthew Yap graduated with a Doctorate of
Philosophy from Manchester Metropolitan University after
years of research conducted while holding a full-time position
at UCCR as Postgraduate Programme Director, Registrar and
Lecturer. Dr Yap also leads the «César Ritz» Colleges research
group and is responsible for the co-ordination of research and
its dissemination in journals, at conferences and through our
own website.
Such research activities are essential to ensure that faculty
members keep up-to-date with current teaching methods and
trends. Sharing results with other academics is an important
benchmarking tool, encourages networking and benefi ts student
teaching. In addition, students can publish their own fi ndings on
the internet to share their work with other industry professionals,
including «César Ritz» Colleges alumni.
academic standing will earn an International Business Certifi cate
(IBUS) in addition to their BIB degrees. This is conditional on
completing two WSU-taught courses as part of the normal BIB
programme plus two additional international business courses
offered by WSU faculty members (one of the two courses taken via
distance learning). A fee will be charged by WSU for these courses.
WSU students, on the other hand, will earn either a minor or a
major in International Business for courses taken at UCCR.
Apart from strengthening our overall cooperation, this new
programme is expected to bring 30 WSU students and many faculty
members to Brig each winter and fall terms.
Plans are currently under way to allow UCCR graduates with the
BIB degree and the IBUS Certifi cate to directly enter the accelerated
WSU MBA programme in Pullman. Approval of this programme
sits with the faculty senate at WSU. If approved, «César Ritz»
Colleges students could earn the UCCR BIB and the WSU MBA in
just four years – an exciting prospect! Not bad for signing a piece
of paper one day in September.
Dr Michael Vieregge
Dean of Faculty, UCCR
Matthew with his parents and Dr Liz Ineson,
his PhD supervisor from MMU
Dr Yap is the fi rst «César Ritz» Colleges faculty member to
graduate with a PhD in the framework of the UCCR faculty
development programme. At present, another four faculty
members are studying for Doctorates under the same scheme.
Martin Kisseleff, President «César Ritz» Colleges Switzerland
3

News from «César Ritz» Colleges
International Alliances – a Win-Win Strategy
The hospitality and tourism industries are global and require
multicultural, internationally educated and experienced managers.
For this reason, «César Ritz» Colleges Switzerland sets great store
by its international partnerships.
Leading hotels and restaurants, airlines, resorts and online travel
agencies all need managers able to cope with the complexities
of modern-day business. Therefore, a wide range of Swiss and
international courses are offered at «César Ritz» Colleges, which
draws students and faculty members from all over the world. In
addition, a network of affi liated colleges and universities exists to
provide a genuinely international experience both to our students
and to those of partner institutions.
Currently, «César Ritz» Colleges offers student exchanges and
structured study programmes with affi liated institutions in the
following countries:
USA:
Washington State University
An academic partner of University Centre «César Ritz» with
students able to transfer to the MBA programme at Washington
State, and WSU students to take a semester abroad programme
at UCCR as a requirement for the International Business Degree
offered by WSU
Paul Smith’s College
Joint activities in the culinary programme and careers fairs
Iceland School of Hotel and Catering,
Kópavogur
«César Ritz» Colleges Switzerland signed an Agreement for
Academic Cooperation with Iceland School of Hotel and Catering,
Kópavogur, on 21 June 2006.
The photo shows Hervé Fournier, IHCR’s School Director,
Carolyn Thompson, Dean at IHCR, Martin Kisseleff, President of
«César Ritz» Colleges, Margrét Friðriksdóttir,
School Director of the High School and Vocation
School, Baldur Sæmundsson, Programme Director
of the Hospitality School of Iceland, the Iceland
School of Hotel and Catering, Kópavogur with
Arni Solonsson, «César Ritz» Representative.
Florida Gulf University
Summer abroad programme and credit transfers, especially for
resort/club management
Australia:
International College of Management Sydney
International Bachelor degree programme. Students follow
one year at the Institut Hôtelier «César Ritz» in Switzerland, a
second at ICMS in Australia, and a third at the University Centre
«César Ritz» in Switzerland
New Zealand:
Queenstown Resort College
After a two-year diploma, students may transfer to Brig to
graduate with a Bachelor of International Business in Hotel and
Tourism Management within one calendar year
United Kingdom:
Manchester Metropolitan University
Validates University Centre «César Ritz» Post Graduate Diploma
and offers a Master of Science in International Hospitality
Management.
Other academic partnerships exist with colleges and universities in
China, India, Scandinavia, Iceland, Russia, Germany, Peru, Columbia,
Guatemala, Spain and Abu Dhabi.
Martin Kisseleff, President «César Ritz» Colleges Switzerland
Falcon College of
Hotel Management & Tourism
With the incredible boom in tourism and the construction of
international 5-star hotels in the Gulf area of the UAE, together
with the lack of trained professionals for middle management and
management of the hospitality sector, Dr Abdulla Al Fahim of Abu
Dhabi has decided to invest in the development of an international
hotel management college in Abu Dhabi.
In consequence, an agreement has recently been signed
between Dr Abdulla Al Fahim, Chairman of Falcon College of
Hotel Management & Tourism, and Martin Kisseleff, President
of «César Ritz» Colleges Switzerland. «César Ritz» Colleges will
provide an academic programme which is very similar in content
to the renowned Diploma in Hotel & Restaurant Management
which has been offered by «César Ritz» Colleges Switzerland
since 1982.
The photo shows Devlal Sahadevan, Faculty – Department of Food
& Beverage at Falcon College with Jin Ding, «César Ritz» alumnus;
Dr Abdulla Al Fahim, Chairman of Falcon College; Sabah Ali Obaed,
Administrative Offi cer at Falcon College as well as Martin Kisseleff,
President of «César Ritz» Colleges Switzerland.

Opening Doors… and Minds!
Students serving different
“cuisines” from around
the world
«César Ritz» Colleges Switzerland prepares for yet another
milestone in its history: two brand new student dorms are being
built in Brig.
It’s hard to believe, but it is now more than nine years since the
fi rst batch of students from the University Centre «César Ritz»,
with their “pioneering spirit,” moved into the newly built ICHALET
dorms.
They took up residence on 2 July 1997, but not without their
construction helmets to protect them from falling rubble, as the
building was not quite complete at the time. There were power
cuts, water came in whenever it rained, and the noisy construction
work began at 7 a.m. – so who needed an alarm clock?! But
it was worth dealing with all these drawbacks, considering the
facilities we used to have at the old Hotel Elite-Müller.
unit, a small dining room and a study room.
On 8 September, the Institut Hôtelier
«César Ritz» opened its doors to local
residents of the picturesque lakeshore
village of Le Bouveret where IHCR is
situated. As part of their academic
programme and practical experience,
the students from the Events
Management Class learn to organize
and manage a special event. This term,
the “Shiraz” class had the opportunity
to show what they could do by taking
charge of the open day.
Guests were able to discover the
campus and its rich history, as well
as see a number of demonstrations
and typical College activities. These
Helmets in Bed - a Thing of the Past...
The ICHALET is
in the southern
wing of the Good
Night Inn Hotel
complex, where
University Centre
«César Ritz» rents
the first three
fl oors. It comprises
59 double rooms,
three small single
rooms, a kitchen
The 10-year contract signed with Mr Bodenmann from Good
Night Inn is due to expire in summer 2007. For that reason,
immediately after the schools were bought by Martin Kisseleff
and Bernhard Schwestermann, the decision was taken to build
our own student accommodation. This will enable us to provide
our students with the type of facilities that they expect from a
modern campus.
There will soon be two seven-storey buildings, called Xenius and
Themis, connected by a common reception and lounge area.
Entry to the buildings will be by means of a student ID card.
ranged from culinary demonstrations
by chef Bruno Neveu (who showed
how to make delicious ice cream
using liquid nitrogen); entertainment
by international students who gave
a glimpse of their diverse cultures;
impressive dining table setting
demonstrations; and a special
presentation on the involvement of
«César Ritz» Colleges in major events
such as the Olympics.
Guests also had the opportunity to
taste different cuisines from around
the world, prepared by the students,
while local producers offered local
food and wines.
There will be 220
single rooms each
with a private
bathroom, TV,
fridge, and most
importantly, highspeed
internet
access. There
will also be eight
kitchen areas, a
120m2 dining
room, three study rooms, a fi tness room and lounge area. An
entertainment centre will be built in the basement, as well as
a number of underground parking spaces, and an area for
parking bicycles and storing the luggage of students going on
internships.
Xenius and Themis are conveniently located halfway between the
Brig train station and the University Centre «César Ritz» – only
5 minutes away from each.
The construction permit has now been granted and work began in
September 2006. Students should be able to move to Xenius and
Themis in October 2007: just one of the things that «César Ritz»
students have to look forward to!
Daniel Gutwziller, Director, UCCR
Chef Neveu
demonstrating how to
make ice cream
The names of the buildings, Xenius and Themis, are adapted
from names of Greek gods and goddesses. Xenius comes from
Xenios, the God
of hospitality
and guests, who
avenged wrong
done to guests
and strangers.
Themis, daughter
of Xenios, is the
Goddess of order,
custom, law and
hospitality.
5

News from Down Under
Arabian Knights in Sydney
More than 130 industry supporters
were transported by magic carpet into
an Arabian Night fantasy at ICMS on
11 August 2006. Guests were welcomed
by Arabian sheiks and found themselves
in a bustling market place with merchants
selling their exotic wares, cheerful snake
charmers, brightly clothed belly dancers
and mysterious tarot card readers.
The evening was coordinated by a
talented group of ICMS events and
QRC’s Executive Education Series Proves a Success
New Zealand’s Queenstown Resort College (QRC) is leading the
way with its unique executive education series designed for future
managers in the tourism and hospitality industries.
The programme, the only one of its kind in the southern hemisphere,
was introduced 12 months ago. It has already received widespread
support from New Zealand’s burgeoning hotel and tourism
industries, with large and small businesses alike benefi ting from
staff development.
Renowned presenters from all over the world provide a depth of
experience and expertise not previously available in New Zealand.
A purpose-built executive suite provides the ideal environment for
the range of courses offered.
The presenters include Dr Hannah Messerli from New York
University whose area of expertise is tourism development and
The student lounge at
Queenstown Resort College
QRC Students Start Internships
The fi rst students to follow Queenstown Resort College’s (QRC)
hospitality management diploma are starting their industry
internships as part of their 18-month programme of studies in
Queenstown. The inaugural course began in April 2006.
The diploma is delivered in partnership with the International
College of Management Sydney (ICMS) in association with
«César Ritz» Colleges Switzerland. After completing their studies
at QRC, students can transfer to Sydney where the diploma can
be credited towards the ICMS/Macquarie University Bachelor of
Business Administration. Alternatively, they can attend «César Ritz»
Colleges in Switzerland and graduate with a Bachelor of International
Business in Hotel and Tourism Management.
hospitality students. They were responsible for choosing the theme,
working to a budget and all aspects of coordinating the function
on the night. Guests were served a three-course meal, whilst being
entertained by a three-piece band before retiring to the Shisha
Lounge to relax ‘harem style’.
The evening was an opportunity to say thank you to the many
international, national and local employers who support the
College by providing students with training and employment
opportunities.
Adam Stepcich, Career Services Manager, ICMS
planning; Sandro Formica of Temple University USA whose courses
are designed to stimulate marketing creativity; and Gordon Potter of
Cornell University whose area of expertise is fi nancial management.
The success of the series led to the fi rst off-site executive education
course. Dr Messerli conducted a three-day training session for
Accor Hotels and Resorts management personnel in Fiji.
“We were pleased with the success of this inaugural offshore course
which attracted people at mid-management level as well as general
managers. The response was excellent,” says Jan Fitz-Gerald, QRC’s
Chief Executive. “The endorsement received from both the hotel
and tourism industries gives us confi dence that we are meeting the
demands of the market and the executive education programme
will continue to expand.”
Emeritus Associate Jan Fitz-Gerald
Chief Executive, Queenstown Resort College
Students in front of the
Queenstown Resort College
Several high-profi le establishments have offered students six-month
internships, proof that the course has gained swift recognition.
The new diploma is an important initiative in efforts to overcome
the shortage of skilled staff in the industry.
Queenstown Resort College is pleased to be part of the ICMS and
«César Ritz» family. The College has also created a partnership
with Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, British Colombia,
to provide international study opportunities to those following the
adventure tourism management diploma in Canada.
Emeritus Associate Jan Fitz-Gerald
Chief Executive, Queenstown Resort College

Ten Years of «César Ritz»
Programmes in Australia
The 10th birthday celebration of The International College of
Management, Sydney was held on 28 September, on Graduation
day. Mr Martin Kisseleff, President of «César Ritz» Colleges
Switzerland and Professor John Loxton, Deputy Vice Chancellor,
Macquarie University Australia, presented a birthday gift to the
college, a life-sized bronze statue, entitled “The Graduate”.
Research for Future Studies
Dominic Szambowski, the Head of Academic Programs at ICMS,
recently visited The Higher Education Academy in Hospitality, Sport,
Leisure and Tourism (HSLT) at Oxford Brookes University in the UK.
The visit was in relation to an ICMS project to gather data from
Australian and New Zealand universities concerned with assessing
intercultural management skills in hospitality and tourism students.
Judie Gannon, also of Oxford Brookes, is leading the project.
From left to right: Dr Glauco De Vita - Reader in
International Business Economics, Nina Becket - Assistant
Director of HSLT, Dominic Szambowski - ICMS,
Judie Gannon - Senior Lecturer Hospitality
Developments in international hospitality and tourism have driven
the emergence of international management programs for the two
industries in recent years. In spite of this, how internationalization
is understood and delivered through the curriculum is open to
interpretation. The project aims to identify the components
of such courses with results being used to further develop the
understanding and subsequent teaching of international issues
and intercultural management skills.
Mr Szambowski realized when comparing notes with the renowned
experts at Oxford Brookes that the intercultural subjects taught
at ICMS were “cutting edge”. He also reported how he felt that
the “internationality” of ICMS, of which all could be proud,
inherently contributed to graduate outcomes and better equipping
students.
Dominic Szambowski, Head of Academic Programs, ICMS
College Students Play a
Leading Role in
Kidman-Urban Wedding
Students of The International
College of Management,
Sydney (ICMS), site of the
wedding and reception
for Nicole Kidman and
Keith Urban, gained
invaluable experience in
the smooth running of the
event.
15 students of the College’s
Hospitality and Event
Management award winning
programs fulfi lled a range
of important roles in the
event, as well as the college’s
Head Chef and function
managers. The roles included
servicing the reception, food
production, event set up and
function management.
The students and staff
enjoyed this once in a lifetime
learning experience, in which they performed their duties
under pressure and under the scrutiny of the media, local and
international celebrities.
Andrew Leary, General Manager, ICMS
Nicole Kidman and
Keith Urban shortly after
their wedding ceremony
on 25 June
The team members from left to right:
• Johan Cronstedt - Australia - ICMS/MQ Masters of
Commerce graduate
• Doug Jespersen - Norway - BBA Hospitality Management
student
• Nick Harriman - ICMS Operations Manager
• Ivonne Yulianty - Indonesia - BBA Hospitality Management
student
• Andrew Leary - ICMS General Manager
• Elie Bassil - Lebanon - BBA Hospitality Management
student
• Vidar Saether - Norway - BBA Hospitality Management
student
7

«César Ritz» Family News
Sophia & Thomas
Marie-Isabel &
Christoph
Vera & Alfonso
It was in August 2005 that Tanja Reimann tied the knot
with Jens Muenchenbach, a German chef who works at
the Follmer House Hilton. After seven years in Washington
DC, Tanja moved to Chicago where she is enjoying her
job as Assistant Director of Revenue Management at the
Conrad Hotel in Chicago.
Tanja.muenchenbach@hilton.com
After falling in love in Nice, Alexander Nurock got
married to Lilith Tadevossian in December 2005. They
had a nice traditional wedding in Armenia where they
live, and a big dinner party in Israel. Alex is Director of
Sales & Marketing at Armenia Marriott Hotel in Yerevan
and writes: “Everything is fi ne since my last position of
International Director of Sales at Riviera Marriott Hotel
La Porte de Monaco and Athens Ledra Marriott Hotel. I’ve
been offered a move to Yerevan to lead the sales team.
Yerevan is a new market which offers great development
opportunities and new challenges.”
alex.nurock@marriotthotels.com
The wedding of Sophia Jing Su was celebrated last
December. Sophia and her husband Thomas Vasic live just 5 minutes away
from Geneva, in Ambilly, France. sophia.su@ritz.edu
Andreas Christoforou and Eleonora celebrated their wedding on 25 April.
The ceremony was followed by a cocktail reception and dinner at the Hilton
Park Hotel. The newly-wed couple spent their honeymoon in Mauritius.
Andreas works as Course Supervisor of the Travel, Tourism and Hotel
Management program at Frederick Institute of Technology in Nicosia, the
second largest college in Cyprus. He has also started his PhD with a British
University on a part-time basis. andreas.christoforou@ritz.edu
Marie-Isabel Kochendoerfer and Christoph Brauckhoff were married last
August: “On the way back from our honeymoon in Italy, we made a short
stop-over in Brig, to show my husband where I studied. We decided to come
back another time and spend more time in the area. I left Brig in December
1992 for UMASS and fi nished my degree there in 1994. I then enrolled at
the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland for my Masters in Tourism.
Once I had my MSc, I worked briefl y in Heidelberg for a tourism marketing
company and worked as Marketing Assistant with Utell International in
Frankfurt. I changed jobs two years later and started my eight-year career
with Tourism Ireland situated in Frankfurt, where I have been everything
from Travel Advisor to Marketing Assistant and Promotions Rep. I have now
specialized in E-Marketing & Cross Media and am responsible for everything
in this area for all of Central Europe. As we recently moved, change is on
the way. We will see where it leads me this time.” Marie-Isabel would love
to hear from old friends: miko.miko@gmx.de
The wedding of Trent and Hillary Rath (now Carpenter) was celebrated
on 18 February. Hillary writes: “I enjoy reading the alumni news and
remembering my fun times in Brig! I attended ICHA as an exchange student
from Washington State University in 1997. After graduating, I moved to
San Diego, where I worked at the Loews Coronado Bay Resort as a National
Sales Manager. In 2004, I moved to Oregon, where I worked as Senior
Sales Manager at the Portland Marriott Downtown Waterfront Hotel. We
are now moving to Santiago, Chile, for a year or two, where my husband
and I will work at Key Knife, Inc. I will work part-time, while taking Spanish
classes. We will also take this opportunity to travel all over South America.”
hillaryrath@yahoo.com
Vera Smorodina and Alfonso Biondo Maiz, a 100% «César Ritz» couple,
tied the knot on 26 August! Who would have thought that their love story
would lead to a wedding, when they started dating in Brig, in spring 2003?
Vera writes: “Our beautiful wedding took place in St. Petersburg, my home
city, where guests joined us from many countries. Marco Farina, also a
former UCCR student, was present at our wedding! We are going to live
in Madrid where Alfonso is working as a Sales Manager at a big insurance
Tanja & Jens
Alex & Lilith
Andreas & Eleonora
Hillary & Trent

Sharina & Carlos
Simone & Dierck
company. Warm regards to all the faculty members and students from Brig
who remember us. We would like to thank you for everything and to wish
you all the best in the future.”
vera.smorodina@ritz.edu and alfonso.maiz@ritz.edu
Carlos and Sharina Wilk-Enciso chose 25 March for their wedding. Family
members and friends came from Asia and the United States to attend the
civil ceremony in Havre de Grace, Maryland. Sharina moved from Myanmar
to Schweinfurt in Germany where her husband currently works for the US
Army. Their church wedding will take place in December.
sharinaelena.wilk@ritz.edu
The wedding of Felix Chi Wai Wong and Carol took place on 7 April at
the Conrad Hong Kong, where Felix works as Meeting Services Manager.
“We went to Europe for our honeymoon and spent three days in Geneva.
Unfortunately, our schedule did not allow us to come back to «César Ritz»
for a visit. As I would love to see some old faces, I will try to come to the
alumni reunion in Switzerland in May 2007!” felix_wong@conrad.com.hk
20 May was the big day for Isabel Yanguas Balmaseda, when she said
“I do” to the man in her life, Cesar Guardamino. Isabel writes: “I work in
my family business in Madrid, which has been running olive oil farms for
several centuries in the South of Spain. We are taking up a new challenge,
not only producing the olives but making our fi rst production of the fi nest
olive oil next year. Our target is a very high class gourmet industry and we
will export all over the world.” If anyone is interested in trying Isabel’s fi nest
olive oil, you are welcome to contact her at isabel.yanguas@ritz.edu.
On 29 July we celebrated the wedding of former «César Ritz» students
Simone Back and Dierck Kersten, who found love while studying at the
University Centre «César Ritz» in Brig. The wedding was held in Simone’s
hometown of Messkirch, not far from the river Donau, in the South of
Germany. Since graduating in 2003, the newly-weds have been inseparable.
After spending a year and a half together in Colorado, they now reside
in Bavaria, Germany. Dierck’s family and friends fl ew in from the USA to
celebrate the marriage. Simone’s family and friends went to great lengths
to create the dream wedding the bride and groom greatly deserved. The
wonderful reception afterwards was held in traditional German style, with a
lot of joy. Helene Tichawa, Arne Christian Meyer and Fredrik Svensson
represented the «César Ritz» family at the wedding.
dierck.kersten@ritz.edu and simone.back@ritz.edu
On 26 August, Mathy (Vanmathy Wickramasingam) and
Marco Sommer shared their important moment with family and
friends, in the picturesque village church in Gruyere. It is always a
pleasure for us to be invited to our alumni’s weddings, especially
if the couple’s love story began while they were studying at
«César Ritz». This was refl ected in the invitation: “Love fi lls a
moment, a moment fi lls a lifetime, a lifetime begins eternity,
our eternity begins here at our wedding.” The «César Ritz»
Family was represented by Mathy and Marco’s fellow students
Sandra Ganguin from Switzerland, Hannaneh Tanha from
Sweden and Ida Krohn Venas from Norway. Marga Cretton,
Trude Gulbrandsoy and Christian Konrad truly enjoyed these
very special festivities, which offered a perfect combination of
the two cultures (German and Sri Lankan) and to which the
colourful saris added a special touch. In line with her Swiss and
European tradition, Mathy wore white to the wedding ceremony
and then changed into a beautiful, heavily embroidered pink
sari for the reception at Villars sur Glane, where she grew up
and where her family lives. The traditional Hindu Wedding took
place the next morning at the Sri Kalyanamurugan Temple in
Bern and was the special highlight of the festivities.
Marco.sommer@ritz.edu and
mathy.wickramasingam@ritz.edu
Mathy and Marco surrounded by
«César Ritz» family members
Felix & Carol
Isabel & Cesar
9

«César Ritz» Family News
Fiorence and Morgane
Siri and Runar holding
their twin daughters,
Nora and Marte
The life of Fiorence Fam changed completely on 18 November 2005, when
she gave birth to a lovely baby girl Morgane Khatelle Kai-Ying Le Bris, who
takes up most of her time at present. Fiorence was Receptionist at the
Mandarin Oriental Hotel du Rhône in Geneva, when she found out that she
was expecting. Her French husband, Eric, is working for a Restaurant of the
Palais of Beaulieu in Lausanne. Fiorence is not working at the moment and
would love to hear from her classmates, especially from Shaheed, who also
became a parent recently. Fiorenze.fam@ritz.edu
Shalabh Krityendra Sharma and Cecilie Borghild Holst Pedersen happily
announced the birth of their second child to us. John Jannak was born on
28 January and looks very much like his mum. cecilie.holst@ritz.edu and
shalabh.sharma@ritz.edu
Birgit Brune, now Hermening, is the happy mother of Teresa, born on
7 June. Birgit.brune@gmx.de
A lovely photo showing her fi ve-month-old twin daughters was sent by
Siri Fuskeland. You can see Nora on Siri’s arm and Marte on Runar’s arm.
“It is a nice age. They sleep most of the night and are smiling and happy
during the day.” Siri says hello to everybody in school. sirifusk@start.no
We received great news from Bastian Gaerner, who is married to Yulia,
and is the happy father of a little boy, Alexander. “I have just fi nished the
opening of the new Radisson SAS EU Hotel in Brussels as the Director of
Sales. It has been a real success so far. The location of the hotel is perfect,
as we are next to the European Parliament in the EU Area in Brussels.”
Bastian.Gaerner@RadissonSAS.com
Jonina Hansson (Uunila) happily informed us of the latest addition to their
family. Robin’s little brother, Oliver, was born on 6 February! Jonina would
love to meet with her ex classmates: “I am in contact with Mandy Smit,
Beathe Knudstad, Mitcho Petrides, Nick Bakaris and Costas Tsilogiannis.
Maybe we could get in touch with more classmates and meet at «César Ritz»!
Anyone interested?” Jonina’s wish came true, since she
met some of her classmates in Le Bouveret in November, to
celebrate the 10th anniversary of their graduation.
jonina.hansson@kolumbus.fi
After a one-year “baby-break” to take care of her little son
Constantin, Stephanie Lohmann, now Hilgers, has found
the ideal way to combine motherhood and business. She is
happy to take up a new challenge (working from home) as
Director of Partner Marketing for the Swissotel Management
AG in Zürich. shilgers@mobileemail.vodafone.de
Jonina with her husband
and sons,
Robin and Oliver
Caesar Waganagwa writes from Kenya: “I am doing well both in my
private life and career. I have a beautiful wife, Alexia, and son, Jabali
(meaning rock in Swahili). He is 4 months
old and is adorable. I will bring him to
Switzerland next time I visit. I am
still Operations Manager in
Carnivore Nairobi. Always
busy, I am also now in the
process of developing a
website. Ideally, it will be a
resource centre which will
provide my friends, including
the «César Ritz» family, a
platform to share knowledge
that we have all gained in our respective
career experiences.
waganagwa@hotmail.com
Limor with her family
Jabali Waganagwa
And last but not least Limor Schorr-
De Leeuw sent us this lovely t-shirt
from the Netherlands.
limor22@hotmail.com
Shalabh and Cecilie’s
children, Ragna and
John Jannak
A very happy Birgit
with Teresa

We received a lovely message from Charoula Duller
(Minnaar), the happy mum of Louise, born on 16 June:
“Finally… As some of you might know, it is almost impossible
to have a little baby girl if either husband or wife works at
«César Ritz» in Le Bouveret. In the past years, there have been
around 17 boys in a row and no girls at all. I left Hotelconsult
just before I gave birth to my son Adrian. At that stage, I
didn’t know whether I was expecting a boy or a girl, but it
was almost impossible to have a girl, as both my husband
and I were working at «César Ritz». For the second baby,
20 months later, I was hoping again to have a girl, but my
husband Dietmar still works in Le Bouveret... So when Louise
was born I had to check twice! Honestly, my eyes were about
to pop out when I saw this miracle! I had just given birth to
a beautiful girl! Now there is hope again in Le Bouveret for
«César Ritz» staff! Good Luck!”
charoulaminnaar@yahoo.com Charoula and Dietmar Duller with Adrian and Louise
WANTED!!
Posters to decorate IHCR
Help us redecorate the corridors and classrooms of the Institut
Hôtelier «César Ritz» with new photographs relating to the
hospitality industry! If your company has nice posters representing
beautiful hotels and resorts, the travel industry or any other related
topic, we would be delighted to display them in the school.
Thank you in advance!
Please contact Michèle Patry at alumni@ritz.edu for further
information.
Stop Press!!
Just before this Alphorn went to print, some happy news arrived
from Armenia. Alex and Lilith Nurock have had a baby girl called
Lea.
Lea Nurock
Loss of our former student…
It is with great sadness that we mention the passing of our
former student, Michael Kim Meng Tang. Michael was
from Singapore and a student in Lax in 1986. His friends
remember Michael well for his infectious laughter and his
‘live for the moment’ approach. Michael passed away on 18
April 2006 after his generous heart gave out. Michael was
43. He will be sadly missed.
11

From you to us... from us to you
From Diving to Dining –
a ‘Flavoursome’ Success Story
Laura Barratt-Scanes
It seems like it was only yesterday that I graduated from
«César Ritz» Colleges, although the passing of the years tells
a different story!
After leaving Switzerland, I spent fi ve years in England, doing
odd jobs, mainly so I could travel and see a bit more of Europe.
After fi ve winters, however, my longing for Africa became too
strong and I returned to Malawi. Fortune smiled on me as I
became Front Offi ce and Conference manager at one of Lake
Malawi’s premier hotels: Club Makokola. I spent two years in
that wonderful place but then decided again to head for new
pastures.
This time I found myself on the island of Virgin Gorda in the
British Virgin Islands. I had planned to buy a restaurant, or set
one up from scratch, but I ended up owning a watersports
company – Leverick Bay Watersports was in need of a cash
injection and a lot of tender loving care. I have never been one
to run from hard work and this new challenge was just what I
needed to get the blood pumping. I had the most amazing time
learning about boats and the islands, and thoroughly enjoying
the lifestyle the Caribbean had to offer. I even met a wonderful
Englishman named Tudor, a scuba diving instructor, with a degree
in geology. He became manager of Dive BVI Leverick Bay. We
were married in August 2002.
Nevertheless, my longing to start a business on African soil
became too much. After five and a half years, I sold my
watersports company and we headed for South Africa to start
a new life. We settled in Ramsgate on the south coast of KwaZulu
Natal, about one and a half hours south of Durban, where we
own and manage a restaurant, called Flavours
(www.fl avours.co.za). It has been open for 18 months now and
things are going very well. We’ve secured our place in the market
and our reputation is going from strength to strength!
I’m sure that the travel bug will come along and bite us again
at some point, but that’s what makes life fun. Fortunately, the
industry we are in allows that kind of freedom, as there are
hotels and restaurants everywhere! A language barrier is the
only potential limitation, but even that’s not insurmountable
– languages can be learned! barrattscanes@yahoo.com
Laura Barratt-Scanes (grad. 1995)
Suzan Abou Jaoude, who graduated in 2002, writes from Nigeria:
“I always remember the great moments I spent in Le Bouveret,
as I really enjoyed those days. Today, I am running a pastry and
bakery called “Sel Sucre” in the city of Abuja. I am so glad to
put into practice in Nigeria all the knowledge I’ve learned from
«César Ritz». I am pleased to send you a photo taken with my
staff on the occasion of the anniversary banquet organized for
the governor of the state. I think it is the right moment to thank
all «César Ritz» faculty, chefs, and everybody at school for my
success.” suzanaj7@hotmail.com
Lubna Ali sent happy news from Jordan: “I got engaged on
4 August! A beautiful ceremony was held at the Grand Hyatt
Amman where I am currently working. My fi ancé’s name is Adnan
Rahman, an Arab/American aeronautical engineer. I would like
to share the photo taken during
our engagement party with
my friends from Le Bouveret
and Brig. I started working
for Hyatt in January 2005 as a
Sales and Marketing Executive,
and became Marketing
Communications Manager eight
months later. I was promoted
again last month, to Head of
the Marketing Communications
department.”
lali@ammgh.com.jo
Cheng Poh Ang graduated
in 1987: “I have just returned
to Malaysia in April, after a
stint in Sumatera, Indonesia as
Hotel Manager. I am currently
employed as Director of F&B
(designate) for Colmar Tropicale, Berjaya Hills Berhad. It is part of a
chain of 19 hotels and resorts worldwide with 13 in Malaysia. Many
or rather millions of thanks to all of you
for making sure that we are always
informed of the HOCO news!”
net_wor_king@hotmail.com
Cheng Poh Ang
Suzan Abou Jaoude with her team
Lubna with her fi ancé,
Adnan Rahman
Rahim Azad has had a wonderful
career since his graduation in 1993 with
the Hotel Management Diploma. Since
November 2004 he has been Resident
Manager at the Polana Serena Hotel
in Maputo, Mozambique, a Leading
Hotel of the World property. Rahim
was sent to Maputo after working

Rahim Azad with
Bill Clinton
for fi ve years as Executive Assistant
to the Managing Director of Serena
Worldwide, in order to follow up on
operational issues with the various GMs
of the 21 Serena properties in Africa and
Asia. He writes: “After one year of hard
work in Maputo, I started to see results.
During this fi rst year, I have managed
to considerably increase revenues. The
hotel was built in 1922 and since I am
here we have hosted many dignitaries
and 14 Heads of State from all over the
world, such as the President of Tanzania
and Bill Clinton.”
azadr@polana-hotel.co.mz
After working in Dubai, Asia and Egypt, Stefan Berger returned
to Germany to work as Fast Food Manager in the newly opened
SAP Arena in Mannheim for one year. He enjoyed the opening,
managing this project as well as being responsible for fourteen
outlets. Once this challenge was mastered, he decided to join
Regus in October 2006, where he holds the position of Operations
Manager. stefan.berger@ritz.edu
Jeff Chen, who graduated in 1998 from Le Bouveret and in 1999
from our College in Connecticut, enjoys working for the Four
Seasons Hotel in Honolulu, Hawaii as Assistant General Manager.
He likes the island which offers seafood and sushi with Aloha and
«César Ritz» hospitality! Jeff would love to get in touch again with
his fellow classmates. jefffourseason@gmail.com
Aloha greetings from Nijad Fares! “My fi rst job after graduation
was in Dubai with a small private hotel. I then got the opportunity
to move to San Diego, where I worked at the Sheraton together
with Sandra Torenburg and Robert Clark. Yes, it is a small world!
I have been at The Westin Maui as F&B Outlet Manager for over
a year now, and things are going well. I am having a good time
here, while building up a store of wonderful experiences. I miss
the faculty members! Please give my regards to everybody!”
Nijad.Fares@westin.com
The photo shows Nijad with Eva Stöger who is Restaurant Manager
at the Westin Maui Resort & Spa. Eva.Stoeger@westin.com
A Trail-Blazer for «César Ritz» Colleges
in the USA
Beverly Bradford
Beverly Bradford was the
fi rst student to enrol at the
Swiss Hospitality Institute in
Washington, Connecticut,
and a member of its fi rst
class in summer 1992.
Later, the Institute was to
become known as ICHM
«César Ritz».
Before transferring to
Le Bouveret for my second
year, I completed an internship
at Walt Disney World. The year
spent in Switzerland, making
friends from all over the world, was amazing. It also made me
“grow up” pretty quickly! I then returned to the Swiss Hospitality
Institute to complete the last credits for my Associate degree.
While applying for Bachelor programmes in the USA, I took
a job as a waitress at the Mayfl ower Inn, a Relais & Châteaux
property around the corner from the school. I was lucky enough
to be accepted by Cornell University. While there, I worked at
the Statler Hotel, and was promoted to Student Front Offi ce
Manager.
After graduating, I took a job with Micros-Fidelio as an Installation
Specialist/Project Manager. We replaced legacy systems in
hotels, helping to confi gure software to meet the property’s
requirements, training staff and providing post-installation
support. This job involved constant travel and I got to see a lot
of the country.
I next worked in Washington DC with Andersen Consulting (now
Accenture) in their Facilities and Services department. At the time,
there was a big initiative called “Hotelling” which encouraged
companies to manage offi ces like hotels. The idea was to better
utilize space by not assigning individual offi ces on a permanent
basis. I hired, trained, and developed a Reservations and Call
Centre team to support this programme. A few years later, I
accepted a position in the
company’s Recruiting Support
department and now work as
a Human Resources generalist
in Atlanta, Georgia.
Although I’m no longer in the
hospitality industry, I know
that «César Ritz» helped my
professional development. I
made lasting friendships that
taught me that, even across
international borders, there
is more that unites us than
divides us. I am grateful to the
leadership of «César Ritz» Colleges for providing an outstanding
educational experience! beverly.bradford@accenture.com
Beverly Bradford
13

From you to us... from us to you
Backing «César Ritz» in Canada
Teg Brar
Teg Brar arrived at «César Ritz» Colleges in January 1990 to
study for a Diploma in Hotel and Restaurant Management.
Now, he’s the representative for «César Ritz» in Canada and
the president of the country’s newly-established Alumni
Chapter.
The service skills and professional discipline learnt at «César Ritz»
have been valuable to me throughout my career. My years at
«César Ritz» fl ew by, punctuated only by internships in the food
and beverage and front offi ce departments at the Renaissance
Hotel in Geneva.
After graduating, I travelled to the United States, obtaining a
Master of Science from Johnson & Wales University in Providence,
USA. My career in the North American hospitality industry began
as a front offi ce intern at the Four Seasons Hotel Washington DC.
I then went to the 500-room Capital Hilton as an Assistant Room
Service Manager but was soon catapulted up the career ladder
when my superior left unexpectedly.
My next appointment took me to Washington’s most distinguished
address, the Hay Adams Hotel, “Where nothing is overlooked
but the White House”. This small property is a member of the
“Leading Hotels of the World” and is consistently rated as one
of the best hotels in North America. I worked as Hotel Assistant
Manager and later as Front Desk Manager.
After spending fi ve years on the east coast of the United States,
it was defi nitely time for a change. The opportunity arrived in
1997 and I moved to the beautiful city of Vancouver, Canada,
to become Front Offi ce Manager at the Metropolitan Hotel.
The three years I spent in Vancouver were very special both
professionally and personally – I got married in 1998!
With the dawn of the new
millennium, we relocated to our
dream city – Sydney, Australia.
Preparations for the Olympics
were in full swing and I joined
the InterContinental Hotel
Group to work across their
Sydney properties in rooms
management. Sydney kept us
entertained for three years, but
we missed Canada! In 2003, we
moved back to Vancouver and
since then I have been involved
in consulting and training.
My current position is Director with Alpina International
(www.alpinainternational.com) promoting the programmes
of «César Ritz» Colleges in Canada. Alpina International also
works closely with the «César Ritz» careers offi ce to provide
full support to graduates looking for employment opportunities
in Canada. I am also president of the Vancouver chapter of the
American Hotel & Lodging Association.
Should you require assistance, please contact me at
info@alpinainternational.com.
Teg Brar
In spring, Daniel Gutzwiller enjoyed the surprise visit of Tony Doh
Ngee Goh and his wife. Tony is a student from “the early years”,
as he studied at our college Alpina in Brig in 1984 and 1985. In
December 2004, Tony married Dr Siew Hui Foo and came on
honeymoon to Europe for a week. Their travel plans led them
from Paris to Venice, Milan, Zermatt, Lausanne, Dijon, including, of
course, a stop-over at UCCR in Brig. Tony was very happy to note
that the campus has improved its curriculum and facilities. He was
impressed by the professionalism and high standards shown by
the faculty members and thanked them for the warm hospitality
shown during their visit. He would also like to thank Dr Petri for his
guidance and mentoring. Tony says that Hotelconsult «César Ritz»
Colleges provided him with a very strong foundation to excel in
the hospitality industry. His dream came true and he has been
working for various multinational companies for the past 20 years,
in food services, education and FMCG environment. Tony now lives
in Petaling Jaya in Malaysia. tonygoh420@yahoo.com
We are always happy to be in contact with graduates of the “early
years”. Brian Derek Goonesekera graduated in 1986: “I had a
great time in Lax! After graduation, I worked in Dubai for a couple
of months and returned to Sri Lanka, where I worked for twelve
years in various positions at the Colombo Hilton Hotel. I was the
Assistant Food & Beverage Manager when I accepted a position
Brian with his wife and daughter in New Zealand
as Senior Operations Manager of a supermarket chain. This year,
I got a job offer to work as Conference and Banquet Operations
Manager at The Spencer on Byron Hotel in Auckland, New Zealand.
So, here I am, with my family! I got married in 1994 and have a
ten year old daughter called Yenushka. So far, we are enjoying
New Zealand!” derekgoone@hotmail.com

Mirasari Halim’s mother kindly
sent us some news about her
daughter: “Mirasari studied
in Le Bouveret from 1990 to
1992. After graduation, she
joined the Jakarta Hilton Hotel
in Indonesia and later opened
her own bakery, specializing
in American brownies and
cookies. She is now known
as the Cookie Lady and bakes
“the Best Brownies in Town”.
As she is a work-alcoholic, I
have pleasure sending you
some news about her. It would
be fun if some old study friends
would get in touch with her.”
tcltoobe1@hotmail.com
Sunita Harris remembers her student days: “In January 1990,
I travelled from London to start my fi rst year at IHCR. This was
very exciting! I enjoyed our service classes with Mr Santos and
Mr Giovannini. Both of them were great lecturers. I will always
remember how they made us cross the road carrying a service
tray piled with cups and plates! The trick was to hold the tray
above our shoulders without spilling anything! My in-training in
Leukerbad gave me an understanding of the real work world. Our
graduation was on 18 October 1991 and my wedding was on the
following day. Most of my classmates attended the ceremony at
the Port-Valais church, as well as the reception at the Rive-Bleue
Hotel. My husband and I returned to England, where I worked
in the hotel industry for approximately three years, until our fi rst
child was born. I have now worked as Customer Service Manager
for a software company, for 9 years. I am known to be a very
dedicated and loyal employee, and this is all due to my fantastic
training and experience at «César Ritz». Life in Switzerland made
me understand the importance of time keeping, of professionalism
and job satisfaction! Thank you «César Ritz»!” It was a great
pleasure for us to welcome Sunita and her family to Switzerland
for a short visit in spring! sunita@wolfram.co.uk
Hakan Hendekli writes from Atlanta, Georgia, where he works as
Head Chef at Chateau Elan Winery and Resorts’ French fi ne dining
restaurant “Versailles”. “Thanks for the education that made all
of us climb up the ladder faster than anyone around! Our resort
is always looking for interns, so if any of your current students is
interested, please feel free to give them my e-mail address and I
will help them as much as I can.” Hakan.hendekli@ritz.edu
Anders Karlsson works for American Express in Sweden and
summarizes his job in fi ve words: Strategic, Analytic, Diplomatic,
Challenging and Motivating. “What is the fi rst thing you think
of when some one says “American Express”? Undoubtedly you
Flying High after «César Ritz»
Lynn Chen
Some of us have our feet fi rmly planted on the ground, but
Lynn Chen, who now lives and works in Canada, literally
took to the skies a few years after graduating and has
been traveling the world ever since.
In November, I will take up my new position as Infl ight Service
Manager with Cathay Pacifi c Airways and will relocate to Toronto
as my main route will be Toronto to Hong Kong. I am very proud
to work for Cathay Pacifi c Airways. I have been fl ying for many
years now but it took a few years to “get off the ground”.
When I graduated from «César Ritz» in 1994, I joined the
Shangri-La Hotel in Taipei. During two and a half years I learned
a lot from the front offi ce and in guest relations. I also had the
privilege to join their management-training course run over two
months in Beijing as well as being part of the task force team
for the pre-opening Trader Hotel in China.
With my education, being able to speak French and my experience
in the hospitality industry, I was able to move to Canada in 1997.
Not long after moving there, I found a job in Vancouver at the
Sutton Place Hotel. During this time, I was also offered a position
as Flight Purser with Cathay Pacifi c Airways and decided to “take
to the skies”. Since then I have been in the airline industry and
have been promoted to Senior Purser. I really enjoy my fl ying
experiences as I can travel around the world with a whole lot
of freedom.
I’m very grateful for the unique experiences I had in Switzerland
where I was able to learn how to work with people from different
nationalities. Living in Canada, my second home, has also been
wonderful.
Please contact me in Toronto if you are in the area! Since I am
a foreigner in this city, I would love to have some local contacts
with «César Ritz» alumni!
My e-mail is sunshinelpc@yahoo.com.
Lynn Li-Ping Chen
Lynn in the cockpit with the pilots
15

From you to us... from us to you
“Success is in the Details”
Morten Skumsrud
Morten Skumsrud says it is hard
to believe that 13 years have
passed since his graduation
from ICHA. Today, he is General
Manager of Marriot’s Marbella
Beach Resort in Spain.
I still remember the first day I
arrived in Switzerland from Norway
to start my dream of becoming an
hotelier. I wasn’t to be disappointed
– the faculty, students and facilities were top notch and the years
I spent at ICHA were among the best of my schooling.
A Swiss education in hospitality management provided a great
foundation for my later studies at the University of Nevada,
Las Vegas, where I graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor
of Science in Hospitality Administration and a minor degree in
Economics. I really valued the opportunity to study on both
continents, being able to balance a more traditional European
approach to service and management with a more businessoriented
style across the Atlantic.
After graduation, I stayed in Las Vegas to join the Management
Training Programme of MGM-Mirage, one of the world’s bestknown
operators of resort casinos. I spent seven invaluable
years working for the Treasure Island Hotel and Casino. My
career progressed rapidly. Over the years, I held positions such
as Reservations Manager, Revenue Manager and Front Offi ce
Manager and, before I was thirty, I was promoted to the post
of Director of Hotel Operations at the world’s tenth largest
hotel.
To further develop my career, I decided in 2002 to join Marriot
International as an Executive Management Trainee at a new
fi ve-star business hotel in Copenhagen. Later, I held the position
of Director of Operations supervising Food and Beverages and
Rooms Operations. In July this year, I jumped at the chance to
become General Manager of Marriot’s Marbella Beach Resort
in Spain, part of Marriot Vacation Club International. The
company slogan is “The Marriot Way – serving the community,
our associates and our guests.” I am so proud to be a member
of the Marriot team and really feel at home. I feel so fortunate
that my experiences at ICHA equipped me so well for all these
positions.
I am often asked by colleagues what I consider to be the most
valuable career advice I have received – not an easy question
to answer. But hospitality is all about service and, while it has
changed over the years, the basics remain the same. So, the best
advice I can give is to adopt my own personal motto, “Success
is in the details!” Mskumsrud@aol.com
Morten Skumsrud
think of credit cards.
But it is so much more
than that, like travel,
insurance and banking,
just to name a few. I
work for the Business
Development Groups
& Events Nordic, where
my main responsibilities
are to make sure we use the correct systems and tools, and this,
in the most effi cient way within our organisation.”
kronje@chello.se
Claes S. Landberg, Vice-President of the Green Valley Ranch
Resort & Spa in Henderson, Nevada writes: “My family and I
decided to move back West for a while, to a beautiful property with
a wonderful clientele. I am sending a picture of me, my wife and
daughter together with a good friend of the hotel. Unfortunately
my oldest daughter was in school that day”. Claes refers back to
his time in Las Vegas, where he worked as Operation Manager
of the Hilton Hotel “Paris” before being appointed Acting Vice-
President/General Manager for Atlantic City Hilton Casino Resort.
He writes: “I try to keep up with all the news through the Alphorn.
I speak to David Bennet often and recently got in touch with some
of my classmates.” claes.Landberg@stationcasinos.com
Claes and his family with Bill Clinton
“My name is David Yanzeng Li. I am an alumnus of «César Ritz»
Le Bouveret (2000) and from Washington, CT. I am currently one
of the Training Leaders between Multi-Unit Manager and General
Manager in the Panda Restaurant Group in the US. I am at present
in Houston to open the new market. My job is mainly to train new
store General Managers and Assistant General Managers and to
make sure that the new store follows the company’s standards
and policies.” David would be happy to hear from his friends.
Liyanzeng2002@yahoo.com
It is always nice to receive updates from Iris Mak. She enjoys reading
news about her friends and would like to stay in touch with them.
“My experience at «César Ritz» Colleges in Switzerland and Australia
is one I will always cherish! I’ve decided to leave the UK and go
back to Hong Kong to take a 3-year MSc degree in Nutrition. I read
about the Alumni Reunions in Hong Kong and will defi nitely attend
the forthcoming
gathering!” She sent
us a lovely photo
taken on the Great
Wall. What Iris didn’t
know, is that students
and staff from the
school climbed the
Great Wall just one
day before her, while
visiting Beijing for the
Career Forum!
makiris@gmail.com

Stephanie Marill
enjoys moving around
Europe and Asia, while
working as Financial
Controller for Swissotel.
After a few years in
Hamburg, Berlin and
Amsterdam, Stephanie
now lives and works in
Bangkok.
stephanie.marill@swissotel.com
Graham Morphy-Morris lives on the Wirral near Liverpool, in
the UK: “I started my studies at the Schoolhotel Alpina in Brig in
1986 and completed my second year in Le Bouveret in 1988. I
spent several years in London, working at Claridges and the Royal
Garden Hotel, gaining Front of House experience before joining
P&O Cruises as a Purser (Hotel Offi cer). I spent 12 very interesting
years with P&O, travelling the world. I eventually rose to the position
of Deputy Hotel Manager. After my wife Catherine and I had Emily,
now 5, and Ross, 1, I decided to return home where I am working
as a Hotel Inspector for Visitbritain (Tourist Board), star grading
hotels/guest houses based in the UK.” themorphs@tiscali.co.uk
Graham Morphy-Morris with his family
Wendy Mou, who graduated in 1994, resumes her life as follows:
“Upon graduation from Le Bouveret, I went back to Taiwan and
worked in several 5-star hotels, such as the Grand Hyatt in Taipei
and Evergreen Lauriel in Taichung. I gained a lot of experience in
various departments, including front desk, cashier and food &
beverage. My last position was Sales Manager at the Sherwood
in Taipei, which was the peak of my hotel career. I then decided
to leave the hotel industry and worked for a German bank,
Commerzbank AG. I also worked for an American law fi rm as a
legal secretary for a few years, before getting married. We moved
to Toronto, and my title is now “Home Maker”, serving my two
bosses (aged 4 and 2)! The years I spent in Switzerland were the
best of my life!” wendymou@hotmail.com
Wendy with her „bosses“
“The Sky’s the Limit for
«César Ritz» Students”
Ayhan Cöner
Involved in the family travel agency
as a child I grew up in the tourism
industry; from the age of 12, I spent
my summer holidays acting as an
unoffi cial tour guide for visitors to
Turkey and never looked back.
A little older, I took language
courses in Oxford and joined the
Institut Hôtelier «César Ritz» in
1988. The completion of two internships, one at the Swissotel
in Zurich and the other at the Lausanne Palace clinched it – food
and beverage was part of my life. After graduation, I worked at
Zurich’s Brasserie Lipp restaurant followed by a stretch as front
offi ce clerk at the Swissotel Bosphorus Istanbul, where I was
promoted fi rst to front offi ce manager and then to banquet
and conventions executive.
Working as banquet sales manager at the Hyatt Regency
Istanbul in 1995, I received an offer that was too good to turn
down – one that would really test my entrepreneurial skills. I
was asked to open a French sandwich and coffee chain called
Lina’s. To build up a successful food outlet and see it in operation
with a bustling crowd inside is a priceless experience. Always
ready for the next challenge, I was employed the following year
as banquet and conventions manager at the InterContinental
Ceylan Istanbul Hotel. As a consultant, there then came the
opening of Turkey’s fi rst fusion restaurant followed by two
more coffee shop ventures.
What I’ve learned is that learning is an endless process! I found
myself more and more curious about mass production in the
food and beverage industry. The next chapter in my professional
career thus took me to Gate Gourmet USAS and the airline
catering business. I’ve been with the company for eight years
now and successfully completed its management trainee
programme to become a customer services area manager,
covering nine airport catering units in Turkey. I advise on sales
and marketing, customer services, purchasing and costing. I am
also an internal auditor in the quality control department. The
production process up until the moment passengers receive
their on-board meal is unimaginably interesting. I am really
proud to work for Gate Gourmet USAS. Our customers have
named us the Best Airline Caterer in the world for three years
running.
So there you have it, “The sky really is the limit.” I couldn’t
have set my target so high without my educational background
though. Thank you «César Ritz» Colleges!
Ayhan Cöner
17

From you to us... from us to you
Penelope Munro graduated in 2001 from the PGD Programme
in Brig. Since June, she has been Human Resources Manager for
The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman, in the Cayman Islands.
Penelope.munro@ritz.edu
Maurizio Orlacchio sent greetings from Italy: “A big hello from
sunny Ischia, where I am working as Director of Operations at
the Hotel Miramare. I am back in Italy after twelve years and I
have to say that it is a strange feeling, but at the same time very
challenging. I will certainly come to Switzerland for a visit one
day, but in the meantime, please give my regards to everyone!”
morlacchio@hotmail.com
They graduated in 1998, but it seems like it was yesterday that
Roshen Pun from Nepal and Terue Satou from Japan met at
school. Roshen writes: “Since last year, Terue and I have been living
in Tokyo. I am studying for my MBA degree at Temple University
Japan, and Terue is busy running her family restaurants. During a
short trip to Sweden, we were very fortunate to meet Jonas Grape
and Serap Aslan, both «César Ritz» graduates, with their beautiful
daughter Josefi n. It was wonderful talking about all the good times
we had at Le Bouveret. This short reunion made us realize how
much «César Ritz» is still alive within us. Our sincere thanks to
everyone for all the great memories!” roshenpun@yahoo.com
From left to right: Serap with Josefi n, Terue,
Roshen and Jonas
Fadi Sam’an graduated from UCCR in 2001 and writes: “After I
fi nished my internship in the States with Hyatt Regency O’Hare, I
went back to Jordan, where I worked for three years as Assistant
Front Offi ce Manager for the Grand Hyatt Amman. I then joined the
Marriott as Front Offi ce Manager before starting my own business
as the Managing Director of an Airline Industry and Tourism Training
Centre. I would like to thank you all for the great knowledge that
you have provided me with and to tell you that no matter how far
we are from you, we can’t forget you at all! The days, the nights,
the school, the dorms, the teachers, the friends, the graduation day,
it is all part of me as if it was yesterday.” Fadi is also the President
of the Jordanian «César Ritz» Alumni Chapter. If you want to be
part of the Chapter, please contact him at: fadi.saman@ritz.edu.
Isabelle Schulz writes from London: “After almost a year and a
half as Reservations Manager at Four Seasons Canary Wharf, I am
on the move again. I have just
accepted a position as Junior
Consultant at a company called
TRI Hospitality Consulting,
which is based in Baker
Street. They also have offi ces
in Dubai, Madrid, Lagos and
Istanbul, so I might come and
visit some of you soon. It will
be quite a change not being in
operations anymore, but I am very excited and am looking forward
to my new challenge.” Isabelle has also sent us a nice photo of
the “girlies nights”, which she regularly holds with (from left to
right) a common friend, Isabelle Schulz, Julia Harnischfeger,
Nina Bruun, Natalie Stadelhofer and Friederike Rostock.
isabelle.schulz@ritz.edu
Nathalie is Director of Business Development for Wyndham
Worldwide, for a special division called NorthCourse.
natalie.stadelhofer@ritz.edu
Nirmal Vasanth writes: “After graduation, I took a French
course and did a part-time Culinary Practice Course in Geneva.
In February 2006, I came back to India to start my career. A lot
of opportunities and offers were available, just because I am a
graduate of «César Ritz». Upon my return to India, I have come to
realize that «César Ritz» Colleges Switzerland is seen as one of the
most advanced and prestigious hospitality colleges. As I wanted
to pursue a career in teaching, I was assisted by Mr Irfan Mirza to
fi nd a job at Jindal School of Hotel Management, where I work
as a member of the Culinary Faculty. The college is affi liated with
“César Ritz”. I am therefore very happy and highly satisfi ed with
my present job as I still have contacts with the school and I am
proud to be a part of «César Ritz».” nirmal.vasanth@ritz.edu
Ilia Vladimirov is working as Chief Specialist in the Department
of International Organisations, Joint Stock Company “INTEKO” in
Moscow. The company builds hotels in Europe and in Russia and
the President of this company is the wife of Moscow’s mayor.
Ilia.vladimorov@ritz.edu
Amnon Jair Wessely was awarded a scholarship for graduate
studies in the US: “I wanted to let you know that I only have great
memories of «César Ritz» CT, USA and «César Ritz» in Le Bouveret.
It was a wonderful and very valuable experience, where I learned
all about professionalism, discipline and having fun whilst facing
new challenges! I have made close friends from the beginning
of my studies and enjoyed every single new encounter. I would
like to thank the entire «César Ritz» staff, professors and the
administration. They were so helpful throughout my studies at the
college. I’m looking forward to my next «César Ritz» reunion! The
fi rst one I attended was held in South Beach, Miami in January.”
amnon.wessely@gmail.com
The participants of the Beijing Career Forum held in June enjoyed
meeting Devon Su Zhou during the Alumni events organized in
line with this trip. Devon writes: “I was a student of Class Ulsan
and graduated in 2003 from Le Bouveret. It seems like a long time
since I graduated, and I miss the school faculty. I would like to thank
you for helping us to study well and enjoy the school life. It was a
big pleasure being your student and learning so much from you. I
am now the Assistant Manager of the lobby lounge at the Grand
Hyatt Beijing. It is a great opportunity to practice my skills and
improve my competencies, while using my theoretical knowledge
in a real working environment.” devon_1479@hotmail.com

Atlanta, USA
On 31 July over thirty «César Ritz» graduates attended the
fi rst Atlanta Alumni reunion which was held at the Grand
Hyatt in Buckhead. Some of the graduates could trace
their college days back to 1988 so it was a time to share
memories and reminisce about life in Switzerland! The
alumni were happy to welcome Hervé and Susan Fournier,
who shared school news and enjoyed the opportunity of
seeing how well our graduates were doing in the USA.
Alumni Reunions Around the World
Several «César Ritz» graduates work at the Grand Hyatt
Atlanta. Charles Saad is the Executive Housekeeper and
Fernanda Montenegro is the Employment Manager.
Having completed their management training, Afi f Salibi and
Jitesh Karamanchandani were transferring to the Grand Hyatt
Dubai where Afi f has been appointed Front Offi ce Supervisor
and Jitesh a Captain. Torleif Hoff, in Atlanta since he graduated in
2001, is currently the Food and Beverages Manager of the Hyatt
Regency Hotel. There was also a surprise visitor in the shape of
Victoria Marton, who dropped in on her way to Indiana where she
was to begin her management training at the Marriott.
Back to their Roots
The May 2006 Alumni Reunion in Switzerland was a great
success!
A total of 37 graduates from 12 countries returned to their alma
mater for three fantastic days spent sharing happy memories,
renewing friendships and networking.
The reunion started in Brig, with a welcome aperitif at The Riverside
Bar. This was followed by dinner at the Molino Restaurant, which
some of our “older” alumni might still remember as “Channa”.
Despite a late night at the Scala and the Spicher, everybody was
on time for Friday morning’s business meeting at UCCR.
The programme continued at the Institut Hôtelier «César Ritz»,
where a panel comprised of fi ve alumni shared their professional
experience before answering questions from today’s students.
It was an enjoyable exercise and reminded the alumni of their
own student mindsets.
Some graduates are busy not only with careers but with families
too. Michael Chin’s partner has recently had a baby girl and a
special mention goes to Faith Rong who managed to make the
reunion despite her advanced state of pregnancy. Who knows, their
offspring may be future «César Ritz» graduates themselves!
Submitted by: Susan Fournier
Leadership Programme Coordinator, IHCR
Students currently in the second year of the diploma programme
organized a Gala Dinner for the alumni as well as a photo
gallery of some of the graduates taken from old year books.
We honoured some who were celebrating ten or twenty years
since graduation as well as the Presidents of Alumni Chapters
from Lebanon, Turkey, Frankfurt, Hong Kong and Norway.
The evening continued at the Students’ Club, where music and
dancing continued until the early hours. On Saturday, there was
a trip to the beautiful Gruyère castle, a wine tasting and, in the
evening, the “Swiss Night” at “Le Manoir” restaurant.
Graduates enjoyed the company of old and new friends alike
and realized how attached they remain to the large «César Ritz»
family scattered all around the world. It was a great get-together!
We hope to welcome many of you in May 2007!
Marga Cretton, Director of Alumni Affairs, CRCS
19

Alumni Reunions Around the World
Alpine-style Alumni Reunion
in Dubai!
«César Ritz» Alumni in Dubai together with
Dr Morag Stewart
The alpine-style view and the ski slope reminded us of our time in
Switzerland but here we were in Dubai! The reason was the United
Arab Emirates Chapter’s Alumni Reunion on 15 September 2006.
We gathered at the Après Bar in the Mall of the Emirates with its
spectacular alpine view of the ski slope! It may not have been the
real thing but it was the closest we could get to help bring back
so many fond memories. It was great that 25 alumni were able to
attend the event and we were really happy to see so many new
“old” faces. From networking and chitchatting with old friends to
getting-to-know each other, the evening was a terrifi c success.
The Alumni Chapter also organized two alumni reunions in May,
during the visit of Martin Kisseleff, President of «César Ritz»
Colleges Switzerland in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. An afternoon tea
meeting was held in the lobby lounge of the impressive Mina Al
Salam Hotel (Madinat Jumeirah), where the alumni based in Dubai
networked and were given the latest news about their school. In
Abu Dhabi, Denise Andrzejewski hosted an alumni dinner in the
fi ne Italian restaurant of The Millennium Hotel.
Submitted by: Denise Andrzejewski
UAE Chapter Vice-President
Our ‘Productive’ Alumni
Reunion in Oslo
To say that we’re a ‘productive’ lot is pretty close to the truth. I
don’t mean only in our jobs. At our Norwegian Alumni chapter on
2 September it was clear that some of us have also been working
very productively outside of working hours. Fifteen members of
the chapter met at the Hard Rock Café. It was so nice to see new
as well as old members joining us for the evening.
Before long the Radisson SAS people were chatting about fellow
colleagues and the Rica people laughed while exchanging stories
from last year’s company party. But it was not only career related
issues that were the main topic: Mette Jorgensen is expecting twins
in January and listened intently to the advice from Siri Fuskeland
who gave birth to twins last year; and we heard that Irja Thofte
would also be able to give advice as she was currently at home
looking after her four-month-old baby daughter. As we said, we
are a productive lot – well, some of us at least.
But some things never change. After dinner Petter Viig and
Philip Essebaggers - enjoying the fact that they were the only
two boys among 13 charming ladies (Erik Lopez Fedde having
left earlier) - invited us all for after-dinner drinks in a local bar. Of
course, how could we refuse?
We are already planning and looking forward to our next meeting
and hope that even more alumni will join in the fun.
Trude Gulbrandsoy, Career Service Manager, CRCS
Trude Gulbrandsoy with the Norwegian alumni in Oslo

Alumni Reunion in Berlin Canadian Chapter Commences!
The alumni reunion on 16 September was not only full of culinary
delights and a great atmosphere but also rich in catching up on how
and where everyone is going. Marga Cretton and Béatrice Baruchet,
who joined us for the reunion, were delighted to hear how well
our careers are developing.
Manuela Kühn was very excited about her new job in Berlin with
“design hotels”, and Christopher Haan just started as the manager
of a new restaurant opening in a challenging location in East Berlin.
Mieke Rambow (who couldn’t join us) and Gerald Gaube are creating
memorable experiences at the front desk of The Ritz-Carlton but
will have to keep to attention as Anne Fritsch recently joined the
team as supervisor of the front desk. Christian List continues to
work for Marriott, Julia Bansemir is part of the Radisson and I
started my MBA studies in October.
As President of the Chapter, I’m happy to announce that our
Chapter is now online and encourage you to visit us at
www.ritz.edu/Alumni/Berlin/Berlin.html. See you soon in Berlin!
Patrick Bingel, Berlin Chapter President
Switzerland Comes to Seoul!
It felt just like Switzerland again! Here we were in the Mövenpick
Marché but in the middle of Seoul for the Korean Alumni
Chapter on 25 September. Thirty-fi ve of us attended the event
including Mr Paul Paek, our representative in South Korea;
Mr Martin Kisseleff, President of «César Ritz» Colleges
Switzerland; and Ms Florence Monnard, our Area Manager.
Mr Kisseleff offered his congratulations and thanks to both
Nara Lee, Vice-President of the Chapter and Mr Paek, for their
alumni work and organizing the reunion.
On a lighter note, alumni and school representatives enjoyed the
discussions and fun atmosphere. We were pleased to welcome
It’s offi cial! The Canadian Alumni Chapter was launched on
15 September, with the fi rst meeting a roaring success. Teg Brar,
who graduated from Institut Hôtelier «César Ritz» in 1991 has
been appointed Chapter President for Canada. Teg organized this
fi rst alumni reunion in Vancouver with nine «César Ritz» graduates
in attendance.
It was a joy to see how well «César Ritz» graduates have been
doing professionally. As expected, the stories started fl owing
immediately and within minutes everyone knew someone who
had attended or taught at «César Ritz» during “their” time. While
the atmosphere was sometimes nostalgic and even sentimental,
it was wonderful to relive our experiences in Switzerland. It was
quite surprising though, that many members of the group were
meeting others for the fi rst time but all felt, of course, part of the
«César Ritz» family.
The Canadian Alumni Chapter would like to welcome all graduates
living or returning to Canada for future reunions. For more
information about the Chapter, please contact Teg Brar at
teg.brar@ritz.edu.
Submitted by: Teg Brar, Canadian Chapter President
a few new Korean alumni and it was great for them to get to
know our senior members.
Here’s the latest news: Choi Gi Woo is Marketing Offi cer at
the Austrian Embassy Commercial Offi ce in Seoul; Nick Kim is
Account Director at The Westin Chosun; Joseph Yoo is Sales
Manager at Novotel Amassador; Jinho Kim is Account Manager
at Diageo; KyuTae Park works in the Room Division at W-Seoul
Walkerhill Hotel; Jung Jun Moon is Sales Executive at the Grand
Inter-Continental in Seoul; Scott Lee is Sales Manager at Park
Hyatt Seoul; and Yoon Kyung Kim is Law Offi cer at Saehan
International.
We happily report on two “love stories” involving
«César Ritz» graduates who recently married in
South Korea. Wayne (Won Joon) Choi and his
wife, Jenny Lee married last year and are living
in Seoul. Wayne works as Project Coordinator at
the Westin Chosun Hotel and Jenny as Reservation
Offi cer at the Park Hyatt Seoul. Chang Gyu Kwag
and Jina Ahn married and already have their fi rst
child. After completing his management training at
the Ritz-Carlton in Aspen, Chang Gyu transferred
to the Ritz-Carlton Seoul where he now works as
Night Manager.
Submitted by: Nara Lee
Vice-President of the South Korean Chapter
21

Alumni Reunions Around the World
New Alumni Chapter for “Downunder”
Two years ago the Australian Alumni met for the fi rst time yet
the offi cial announcement about the creation of this Chapter and
the appointment of its fi rst President only happened recently.
With an impressive 23 attendees, the “offi cial” reunion was held
in Sydney on 29 September 2006, at the prestigious St Patrick’s
Estate, nicknamed ‘Castle On The Hill’, where ICMS is currently
situated.
Spanish Tapas for Frankfurters
Drinks and tapas were the order of the evening for the post-summer
get-together of Frankfurt’s Alumni Chapter on 27 September. The
Frankfurt Alumni Chapter has grown again as we opened our arms
to four new members who came along to enjoy food, drink and
good company at the Buena Vista Tapas Bar.
Stephen Nugnis, who graduated from ICHM, Connecticut, in
1995, Marcus Rybka, Katrin Claus and Tim-Martin Weber were
all initiated into the swelling ranks of the Frankfurt Alumni. It was
great remembering the stories from when we were in Switzerland.
There was a lot of catching up plus quite a few stories to tell and,
of course, the odd piece of gossip!
Submitted by: Patrizia Spannagel, Frankfurt Chapter President
The Alumni News Continues
on the Website!
Dates of upcoming reunions, photos and articles of past alumni
reunions held worldwide, success stories of «César Ritz»
graduates, as well as information about Alumni Chapters -
and so much more - can be found under:
www.ritz.edu/Alumni/Alumni.html
As the newly elected President, I would like to welcome all
«César Ritz» Alumni to this new Chapter. I will ensure all is done
to maintain a solid network of Alumni within Australia.
The high number of attendees at our latest reunion was an
encouraging sign that our Chapter will certainly be very successful
but it will only prosper through your support and involvement.
So I urge you to ‘keep in touch’ and help
the network grow. I also recommend all
Alumni to visit our «César Ritz» Alumni
website as often as possible so click on:
www.ritz.edu/Alumni/Alumni.html and
make it one of your favourites so you
can keep up-to-date and informed about
all Alumni matters because ‘Alumni
matters!’
If you are a «César Ritz» Alumni in Australia,
please contact me through my «César Ritz»
email address richard.farr@ritz.edu and I
will update your details. I look forward to
hearing from you and wish you all the best
until our next meeting.
Richard Farr
Australian Chapter President
The photo shows the Australian alumni
with Mr and Mrs Kisseleff
The Frankfurt Chapter members having a good time together

Delights from the Turkish Chapter Alumni Reunion
You will be surprised how hard it is to convince 24 people to
attend a «César Ritz» alumni reunion dinner when it’s pouring
with rain outside! Nevertheless, they all turned out on the evening
of Friday 29 September, thus proving that the spirit of excellence
lives on!
I am proud to say that this has been the biggest attendance to
date at a Turkish chapter reunion and I would like to thank all
those who came along and made it such an unforgettable event!
Let me share with you all our news!
Tarik Nasser has resigned from Divan Hotels where he was Director
of Business Development and he has set up his own company
providing the catering and laundry service for local Acibadem
hospitals. Eren Ulusahin has opened yet another establishment, a
Hip Hotel in the heart of Istanbul where he is General Manager.
Harika Seckin has been working with the Divan Hotel Group for
more than 10 years, where she is now Director of Quality and
Human Resources. Ceyda Canli and Ferda Tuncman who are now
both married also joined us. Ceyda is currently working at Servus
International as an audit consultant. Ferda is a stay-at-home mum
but is keen to return to the hotel business soon.
Belgin Aksoy, board member of Aksoy group, is pursuing new
challenges in the heart of Istanbul’s
Beyoglu district, working on a project
to convert the Marquis Passage into a
Boutique Hotel.
Pelin Atabek couldn’t attend as she
has moved to Izmir. She is Assistant
Sales Manager at the Swissotel Grand
Efes Hotel. Unfortunately Kerem Suner
couldn’t join us either. He has recently
WANTED! A New Name for the Alphorn!
In October 2007, Hotelconsult «César Ritz» Colleges will be
25 years old. On this occasion, we are launching the new
generation of our Alumni Association – and that includes your
alumni magazine. To make it more dynamic, the magazine will
receive a makeover, with a new format, new layout and… new
name!
We are pleased to invite you to join us in the search for that
name. We’re looking for something unique and catchy. It needs
to be short, easy to pronounce in many languages, and should
refl ect the following key elements of the magazine: friendship
and family; networking; success; information and news.
All «César Ritz» Colleges alumni, students, and staff from the
Brig and Le Bouveret campuses are welcome to participate and
From left to right: Sinan, Eren, Ayhan, Aylin,
Zeynep, Tarik, Sibel, Berk and Ceyda
been appointed Food and Beverage Operations Manager of the
UK-based Harvey Nichols fashion store.
We send our congratulations to two of our
alumni, Aylin Menguc and Sinan Sorguc,
who were married on 25 March 2006 and
are expecting a baby in a few months
time!
We even had a birthday to celebrate!
Berk Yener Demir’s wife Sibel had planned
to spend her special day elsewhere, until
I convinced them to come celebrate with
us! It was already a great event, but that
was the icing on the cake!
Ayhan Cöner, Turkish Chapter President
should send us their suggestions: you may propose as many
names as you like!
A jury composed of «César Ritz» Colleges’ staff and
management, as well as alumni chapter presidents will judge
the entries and decide on the name to be used as of 2007! The
winner will be announced in the next issue of the magazine
and will receive a prize. He or she will also be honoured at the
next annual alumni reunion in Switzerland.
So, it’s over to you. Show us how creative and imaginative you
can be! Please send your suggestions to alumni@ritz.edu by
15 February 2007. We thank you in advance.
Now let the brainstorming begin!
23

Alumni Reunions Around the World
“Once a Family, Always a Family”
Beijing, China
It’s great to see that the friendly ambiance shared
by students and staff at «César Ritz» Colleges
continues after graduation. We often talk about
being “one big family” no matter where we all
end up. Another proof of this came in June when
twenty «César Ritz» students and management
staff met with former students at an alumni
reunion organized in conjunction with the Beijing
Career Forum.
Meeting with graduates was simply great. There
was Drusilla Gao who showed us around the
Kempinski Hotel at the Commune By The Great
Wall; Devon Zhou, the Assistant F&B Manager of
the Grand Hyatt; Nadine Pinter, who gave us a tour
of the Peninsula Palace Hotel where she works as
Assistant Director of Sales; Tom Alkalloufi , the
current Director of Education at Delter-Telfort
International Business Institute; Katharina Rutz,
a sales representative for Kempinski Lufthansa
Centre; and Toni-Rose Quiogue who was training
at the FO department at the Radisson SAS.
But the true alumni highlight of the trip was our
alumni reunion in a local restaurant. Here the new
President for the Chinese Alumni Chapter, Nicholas
Guofeng Luo, who’d made such a great effort
organizing everything for us, was presented with a
special certifi cate recognizing his commitment.
All in all, 20 alumni joined us to make it a wonderful
night swapping stories, reminiscing and getting to
know one another.
It was just like being “one big family again”!
Submitted by: Marga Cretton
Director of Alumni Affairs, CRCS
This Alphorn was prepared for
you by:
«César Ritz» Colleges
Switzerland
1897 Le Bouveret
Switzerland
Tel.: + 41 24 482 82 82
Fax: + 41 24 482 88 99
alumni@ritz.edu
www.ritz.edu
We would like to thank everybody
who contributed, including
our partner colleges, staff,
and graduates. We are looking
forward to your future participation.
The next Alphorn is scheduled
for May 2007.
Dear Alumni, please keep us
updated on your career moves
as well as on your address
changes which can be sent to
alumni@ritz.edu mentioning
your student number, if possible.
Do not forget to check our
website regularly.
This edition and further news
about «César Ritz» Colleges
are published on our website:
www.ritz.edu